My Perfect Automobile » TaTa Pixel

Electric Car for Under $20,000

Larry Bell — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 21:44:39 +0000

Tata product: Jaguar XJ-L

No one can say exactly when the sub-$20,000 EV will land in showrooms, but word from Tata Motors is that it will indeed become a reality. Based in large part on the eMO concept vehicle, which was on display at January’s Detroit Motor Show, the new EV will be jointly produced by Tata and its French partner Dassault Systems.

India’s financial press says the two firms are working hard to bring a very lightweight, low-cost EV to market. Early word is that the range of the new issue will be approximately 100 miles per charge.

Overall cost of production and date of the vehicle’s debut are closely guarded secrets. In other words, no one knows. As recently as January, Tata spokespersons were not even admitting that the eMO would see the light of day. Now at least they say the car will go up for sale. Someday.

Tata Motors Limited used to be called TELCO, and is now known by the Tata name worldwide. Fortune Global lists the company as number 369 of the top 500 multinationals in existence. From its headquarters in Mumbai, India, Tata Limited oversees a vast empire of truck and passenger car production. In fact, Tata is the second-largest bus manufacturer on earth. With manufacturing and assembly plants on nearly every continent, Tata has made and sold almost 7 million vehicles.

Many mini-trucks, by Tata

Tata began as a locomotive company, but by 1954 was making passenger vehicles with its then-partner Daimler-Benz. The two would jointly build many transportation products for 15 years until that relationship ended in 1969. Two years ago, Tata was named India’s “most valuable brand” by The Economic Times. Today, the auto giant trades on two of the world’s biggest securities floors, the Bombay Stock Exchange, and the New York Stock Exchange.

For more about Tata Motors, see the company’s official website:
http://www.tatamotors.com

Larry Bell

Larry Bell + is My Perfect Automobile’s Genius Author, but we call him ‘The Expert‘. Here is his full Blog: My Perfect Automobile. Larry lives in San Jose, CA and is also the Expert Author. Larry is a lover of the Automobile as well and shares a passion for Concept, Hybrid and Electric Cars…

Spy Video Catches Tata’s New Diesel Nano

Larry Bell — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 06:04:08 +0000

Tata Nano

The video clip is oh so short and very, very secret, but quite something to see, especially if you are a fan of the Tata Nano, India’s wonder car. Word has been out for some time that Tata Motors would be issuing a diesel version of the spectacularly popular Nano. Fortunately for us, an eagle-eyed Nano devotee in Maharashtra, India, was ready with camera in hand when one of the top-secret diesels zipped by.

As one Indian blogger recently mentioned, the Tata Nano diesel is not only mysterious, but is certainly one of the most anticipated cars in India, a country where diesel automobiles are already extremely popular. The car is expected to get about 95 mpg and be about 25 percent more expensive than its gasoline cousin. Those in the know about diesel technology say the Tata Nano will utilize the world’s smallest turbo-charger! Other sources say that the turbo-charger is already in production by Honeywell. We’ll have to wait and see how this all comes out.

In the video link below, you have to watch carefully to see the little diesel car pop out from behind some cover, then catch it as it bounds across the roadway for just a few seconds. This is spy video, so don’t expect high production quality.

In any case, it will be big news to Tata’s biggest rival in India, Maruti Suzuki, which has gone head-to-head with its competition for many years, each company temporarily taking the lead in sales or some other statistical category.

India has been a hotbed of alternative fuel science for the last two decades, as diesel and natural gas vehicles have make quite a mark on the nation’s driving habits. One of the most populous nations on earth, India has a huge impact on global auto trends.

For more about the small wonder, Tata Nano, and its manufacturer, Tata Motors, see the company’s official website:
http://tatanano.inservices.tatamotors.com/tatamotors/

Larry Bell

Air Car Ready by August

Larry Bell — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:49:50 +0000

Tata's MiniCAT, compressed air car

For many years the compressed-air car by India’s Tata Motors was the forever-concept vehicle, always “almost ready,” but never able to actually make the trip to showrooms. Now, the company has announced that it will indeed bring the odd creation to market in August of 2012. The MiniCAT (the last part stands for compressed air technology) will cost about $2 for a full tank of air, travels 180 miles per fill up, and reaches a maximum speed of 35 mph on the air engine alone. Technically a hybrid gas-air car, Tata has added a tiny combustion engine to the vehicle to propel it beyond 35 mph, which is the fastest speed a pure-air motor can attain.

And by the way, the MiniCAT is loud, as are all compressed air cars. But unlike electric vehicles that have to add noise in order to warn pedestrians, air cars have no such problem. The science, in fact, is quite simple. Compressed air is released when the driver hit’s the “air” pedal, the resulting expanded air drives the pistons, and from that point the thing works like any combustion engine except that there is no exhaust.

Air cars have been around in one form or another for about a hundred years. With a few industrial applications, namely very short distances in indoor factories that cannot withstand the buildup of exhaust, air cars have never become commercially feasible due to the noise factor and the slow maximum speeds. Tata has worked to keep noise down and added the extra engine to give a boost to speed, and sales. Even at that, purists might argue that air cars have merely broken into the world of low-speed vehicles, and that is a segment served rather nicely by electrics that are both cheaper and quieter.

The real thing will be available in August

For more about Tata Motors, see the company’s official website at http://www.tatamotors.com
A non-corporate information page about Tata is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Motors
An overall discussion about compressed air cars can be found at this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed_air_car

Larry Bell

Your Cash: The 5 Best Car Stocks to Own

Larry Bell — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:53:28 +0000

Tata's Megapixel

Automotive stocks are what investors call a “pure play” on the economy since they often closely track the overall health of the U.S. and world market. Last summer, when it looked like we were slouching toward a big recession, most automotive stocks took a dive. Things are a bit different nowadays, with expectations up, and the U.S. coming off of a huge month for auto sales. Up to this point in 2012, General Motors and Ford have been solid stocks for any portfolio. Several others are falling into place as the year plods on. Here is a short description of each of the current “hot five” automotive stocks:

Ford Motor Company- Last year’s sales hiccup brought the company’s stock price down to $9 per share, but it has come back up and could finish 2012 much higher than last year’s doldrums. Some experts are saying that shares could hit the $14 to $15 range before 2013 dawns.

Toyota- Another “rebounder” after a tough 2011, Toyota had one of the best months in its entire history in 2012 and continues to be a leader in the alternative fuel sector as well. The share price could head up to the $80 range, so keep an eye on the big Japanese automaker.

Other portfolio-worthy choices are:
General Motors, Tata Motors, and Tesla Motors are all looking to have a strong 2012, with GM one of the old-school favorites among major investors. Tesla and Tata are on the cutting edge of electric, hybrid, and natural gas innovation. When the green car revolution kicks into high gear, these could be powerful portfolio additions.

Tesla Model S

For more from the official companies websites, see:
http://www.ford.com
http://www.toyota.com
http://www.gm.com
http://www.tatamotors.com
http://www.teslamotors.com
If you want to visit one of the thousands of internet financial sites to gather profiles using stock symbols, the five mentioned companies’ symbols are:
F, for Ford
TM, for Toyota
GM, for General Motors
TTM, for Tata Motors
TSLA for Tesla Motors
Note: This article is for informational purposes only, and not intended as financial advice or stock picking advice in any way.

Larry Bell

Tata Megapixel Hybrid by 2015

Larry Bell — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:15:01 +0000

Megapixel hybrid to debut in 2015

Combining an electric motor with an onboard gasoline engine for power generation, Tata Motors of India has announced plans to market the Megapixel hybrid-drive within three years. With an estimated mpg equivalent rating of around 250, the Megapixel has the odd honor of being announced even before its predecessor, the Pixel, comes to market. The four-seat Megapixel will officially be in the range-extender hybrid category, a first for the Indian auto giant. In fact, the house of Tata is a worldwide industrial mega-corporation, much like Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp., that makes hundreds of diverse consumer products.

Making its intentions known just last week, Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata commented about the Megapixel, pointing out that, “Realistically, such products take at least three years to develop. There are lots of electric technologies to be developed, besides many other things.” The lithium battery pack combines with the gasoline engine to offer a total driving range of 550 miles.

The 2011 Geneva Motor Show saw the world debut of Tata’s Pixel, though that concept city car has not yet reached showrooms. When it comes to the newer hybrid offspring, the Megapixel, a company spokesperson mentioned that the car is being created at no fewer than three different design locations, in Italy, the U.K., and India. In 2015 and thereafter the car will be marketed to cost-conscious drivers in large cities all over the world.

Sneak peak inside the 2015 Megapixel

The Megapixel will feature four electric motors. As a result of the car’s unique design, the turning radius will be a miniscule 2.8 meters, and the vehicle will have an electric motor for each of its four wheels. Like some of the pricier electric cars on the market, Tata’s 2015 offering will have an induction system so owners will merely have to park over a special pad to charge the Megapixel.

For more about Tata Motors, see the company’s website, at http://www.tatamotors.com/

Larry Bell

Tata, Plus A123, Equals Big Business

Larry Bell — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:21:40 +0000

Tata's Indica EV

Battery maker A123 Systems, Inc. has just announced the addition of Tata Motors Ltd. of India to its lineup of transportation clients. The battery company already boasts a stellar list of customers, and Tata rounds out the collection of global automakers. A123 currently lists corporate giants Daimler and GM as customers. Fisker Automotive, Inc. is one of the battery firm’s more recent enlistees, is another client. Recent personnel downsizing at Fisker had caused A123 to temporarily cut back on its own workforce, though the new contract with Tata, one of the world’s largest corporations, will likely nullify that short-term setback.

Tata’s headquarters are in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India, and it ranks as the eighteenth largest carmaker on earth, but the largest in South Asia. Much of A123’s contract with Tata will initially cover lithium ion battery packs for buses and trucks. Tata ranks as the number two bus manufacturer in the world, thus a contract to supply any component part for its buses is a potentially massive economic boost for a vendor.

Listed on the New York Stock Exchange as well as India’s Bombay Exchange, Tata originally made locomotives, but ventured into auto manufacturing in 1954, as part of a decade-long partnership with Daimler-Benz.

Tata's Nano EV

At one time Tata and MDI of France worked together to develop a compressed air car, but the engineering challenges proved too costly to go forward. The Tata OneCAT compressed air car was in fact produced, but has not reached a point that it is economical to drive. Tata’s Indica and Ace are both fully electric cars that have taken the automaker to the forefront of world competition among major alternative fuel vehicle makers. Last year, Tata had $27 billion in revenue and employed almost 55,000 workers worldwide.

For more details about Tata Motor Corp., see the company’s website, at www.tatamotors.com.
For more on A123, see their site, at www.a123systems.com/

Larry Bell

Tata Pixel: The King of Parking

Larry Bell — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:00:34 +0000

The Tata Pixel is a car that most Americans have never seen up close. It first showed its face at the Geneva Motor Show this year. Based on the company’s Nano platform, the Pixel can literally turn on a dime. It features a clean diesel engine, regenerative braking, and toroidal traction-drive. That last trait is what gives it the ability to park in the tightest of spots. Watch the video and you’ll see some of the other amazing things the Pixel can do. The panoramic roof is something right out of a science fiction film.

Larry Bell